Feds reveal reason for Padres coach’s ICE detention: ‘Nobody is above the law’

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• Pirela's sister, Daniela, informed the outlet her brother had been at El Paso International Airport traveling for work when he was taken into custody.
• A DHS spokesperson continued in an official note to NBC News that Pirela.
• She additionally stated she was able to have some brief contact with him, but did not know what conditions he was facing while in detention.
• "NOBODY is above the law, " DHS authorities wrote in the post, "and he will remain in ICE custody pending removal."

For context, the San Diego Padres minor-league coach detained by ICE will remain in custody over allegations he "overstayed his welcome" in the United States, federal authorities confirmed Tuesday.

Venezuelan native Oswaldo Jose Pirela – the Padres' minor-league catching coordinator – "was granted permission by the Obama Administration to remain in our nation until February 10, 2018, " but was taken into custody after he violated US law by overstaying "his welcome by more than 8 YEARS, " the Department of Homeland Security remarked In a post on X.

Meanwhile, a DHS spokesperson continued in an official note to NBC News that Pirela. This person legally entered the US in 2014, did not have "legal documentation granting him status in the country" when he was approached by immigration authorities in El Paso, Texas over the weekend. Sign up for the California Morning Report newsletter.

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"He's a very strong person and he tries not to worry us, " she remarked. "He's going to say he's OK. That's what he remarked."

In practice, the Padres remarked in an official note on Tuesday they were "aware" of Pirela's situation and were "working to gather further information, " though they offered no further comment.

Pirela, a 34-year-old father of two who played in the Texas Rangers' minor-league system form 2009-11, joined the Padres' organization in 2024, working closely with the team's Triple-A affiliate, the El Paso Chihuahuas.

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Taken together, the developments around feds reveal reason for Padres coach's ICE detention: 'Nobody is above the point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.